An appeal for unwanted tennis balls to protect harvest mice in a country park has met with a fantastic response.
The appeal by Leicestershire County Council, featured in the Leicester Mercury, resulted in about 200 balls being donated to rangers at Watermead North Country Park.
The balls will now be made into artificial nests for the tiny mammals – Europe's smallest rodents – at the park's Wanlip Road site.
Areas of the eight-acre Norfolk reed plantation – favourite habitat of the harvest mouse – had been flattened by flooding, causing damage to nesting areas
Dale Osborne, senior ranger at Watermead, said: "We've had people turning up with tennis balls from far and wide – the response has been absolutely fantastic.
"We wanted about 200 balls and we've now got more than enough.
"I want to thank everyone who has contributed and they have each played a part in helping to protect the mice."
For more information about Watermead North and other country parks in Leicestershire, phone 0116 305 5000 or e-mail:
countryparks@leics.gov.uk
www.leics.gov.uk/countryparks
There is also a Facebook site dedicated to Watermead North at:
www.facebook.com/ watermead
